Barcelona’s THEKER raises €73M to scale AI‑native factory robots

THEKER, the Barcelona‑based AI robotics startup, announced a €73 million Series A round to accelerate the rollout of its AI‑native generalist robots for factories and warehouses [1]. The financing, led by CRV and joined by investors such as Samsung, LVMH, Cathay Innovation and Henkel Ventures, marks the first Spanish investment for both Samsung and LVMH [5].

Key takeaways

• €73 million ($85 million) Series A funding led by CRV, with strategic investors Samsung and LVMH [5]
• THEKER’s robots are marketed as “AI‑native generalist” machines that can adapt in real time to mixed SKUs and variable tasks [1]
• The company already has deployments across Europe and is targeting tier‑one industrial operators [1]
• Early backer Inditex (Zara’s parent) signals interest from the retail sector, while Samsung is in advanced talks to become a customer and supplier [2]
• THEKER aims to grow its team to around 120 employees by year‑end, after receiving roughly 15,000 job applications [2]

Building a new category of industrial robotics

THEKER positions its technology as a departure from traditional, task‑specific robots that require costly reprogramming. According to the company, its AI‑native robots can be reconfigured on the shop floor, learning continuously from production data and handling irregular shapes, mixed SKUs and operational variability without manual re‑coding [1]. The startup claims that its systems can be deployed in days rather than weeks, a promise it says is already being tested in live production environments across Europe [1].

The funding will be used to deepen THEKER’s proprietary AI and robotics stack, expand its software, electronics and mechanical engineering teams, and accelerate deployments with tier‑one operators [1]. Co‑founder Carla Gómez Cano emphasized that the company “didn’t build THEKER to run pilots” but to ship robots that work from day one and improve thereafter [1]. The round follows a record €18 million seed round less than a year earlier, underscoring rapid progress from prototype to commercial rollout [5].

Investor confidence and market positioning

CRV’s lead investment represents its first foray into the Spanish market, while Samsung and LVMH each made their inaugural investments in a Spanish startup [5]. Samsung, although not yet a customer, is in “advanced discussions” to serve as both investor and potential supplier, a combination that could boost THEKER’s credibility in large‑scale manufacturing [2]. The involvement of luxury‑goods group LVMH (via its Aglaé Ventures vehicle) and other strategic backers such as Henkel Ventures signals cross‑industry interest in adaptable automation solutions [1].

Inditex’s participation as an early backer highlights the relevance of THEKER’s technology to retail logistics, where fast‑changing product assortments demand flexible automation [2]. The company also points to a broader European trend, noting recent sizable financings for robotics firms like Germany’s RobCo and Stuttgart’s Sereact, suggesting a growing appetite for AI‑driven manufacturing tools [1].